The New York Giants signed Russell Wilson on Tuesday night — a move that could drastically alter their plans in the upcoming 2025 NFL Draft. Once believed to be targeting a quarterback with the No. 3 overall pick in the draft, there is now speculation that the Giants could instead take the best prospect available and target a “more developmental” quarterback later in the draft.
In this three-round mock draft, I will explore the possibility of the Giants passing on a quarterback in the first round and what effect that decision could have on the rest of their selections.
Giants take the best player available in Round 1
With Wilson on the roster, the Giants no longer have to take a quarterback in the first round. Instead, they could take the best player available, which, in this case, is Colorado CB/WR Travis Hunter.
Hunter is a truly elite talent. He won the Heisman Trophy in 2024 as well as the Chuck Bednarik (Defensive Player of the Year in college football) and the Fred Biletnikoff Awards (Wide Receiver of the Year in college football) after totaling 1,258 receiving yards and 15 touchdowns on offense and 11 pass defenses and four interceptions on defense.
Drafting Hunter would give the Giants another playmaker to add opposite Malik Nabers, as well as a high-upside defensive talent in their secondary.
Beefing up the defensive line in Round 2
The Giants did not do much to beef up their defensive line in free agency. Dexter Lawrence still stands alone as the team’s clear-cut starter on the interior, but next to him, there is not much to keep opposing offensive lines up at night. Enter Ohio State DT Tyleik Williams, whom the Giants take No. 34 overall in this mock draft.
Williams is a 6-foot-3, 327-pound defensive tackle who excels at defending the run but also provides upside as a pass-rusher. He totaled 46 combined tackles, eight tackles for loss, and 2.5 sacks in 2024, anchoring an Ohio State defense that won a National Championship.
Drafting Williams would give the Giants a young, starting-level defender on the interior to pair with Lawrence.
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Adding offensive line depth in Round 3
Like defensive tackle, the Giants did not do much to address their offensive line this offseason, outside of adding some depth. They could take a bigger swing on the offensive line in the NFL Draft, however. One name that could make sense for Big Blue is OT Marcus Mbow out of Purdue, who they take No. 65 overall in this mock draft.
The 6-foot-5, 300-pound mauling right tackle possesses ideal power as a run blocker. However, he also performed well as a pass protector in 2024, surrendering only 22 pressures and four sacks across 367 pass-blocking snaps.
Mbow is more of a right tackle than a guard, however, the Giants reportedly plan on moving Evan Neal inside to guard this season. Mbow played some guard in college, but could be a long-term solution at right tackle behind Jermaine Eluemunor for the Giants while Neal transitions.
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The Giants throw a dart at the quarterback board to close Round 3
Having already addressed some of their biggest needs with their first three picks, the Giants could take a shot on a high-upside quarterback with their final pick inside the top 100. With the No. 99 overall compensatory pick, the Giants take Alabama QB Jalen Milroe in this mock draft.
Milroe is the definition of a project at the quarterback position. He needs a complete retooling as a passer, as his spotty mechanics make him inaccurate and inconsistent. But his unofficial 4.37s 40-yard-dash time makes him a dangerous weapon as a rusher. He rushed for 726 yards and 20 touchdowns in 2024, but threw for only 2,844 yards with a 16-11 TD-INT ratio.
Despite signing Wilson and Jameis Winston, the Giants don’t have a long-term plan at the quarterback position. Milroe could be a sit-and-wait prospect. He has physical tools and athletic attributes that simply can’t be taught. But over time, perhaps he can be taught how to play the quarterback position at a higher level. Drafting Milroe and sitting him behind a future Hall of Famer in Wilson for a season or two could be an exciting proposition.
